Program Associate

Summary
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), a research, policy, and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening and advancing the work of public universities in the US, Canada, and Mexico, is seeking an associate to provide logistical and administrative support for its work in the Office of Academic Affairs (60%), with a focus on Student Affairs, and the Office of the President (40%). Support will include planning conferences, webinars, and meetings; managing on- and off-site meeting logistics; scheduling meetings and coordinating calendars; and overseeing the payment of invoices. The successful candidate will have strong meeting coordination, event planning, and administrative support skills, and possess a keen attention to detail. This full-time position is based in Washington, DC. The incumbent must reside in DC, MD, or VA and pass standard background checks. The associate is eligible for a hybrid work schedule. For more information, consult www.aplu.org.

Background
APLU is a membership organization that fosters a community of university leaders collectively working to advance the mission of public research universities. The association’s membership consists of more than 250 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems, and affiliated organizations spanning across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, six U.S. territories, Canada, and Mexico. Annually, member campuses enroll 5.3 million undergraduates and 1.4 million graduate students, award 1.4 million degrees, employ 1.3 million faculty and staff, and conduct $61 billion in university-based research.

Responsibilities 
• Provide logistical and administrative support for the Office of Academic Affairs (60%) and the Office of the President (40%), including supporting the Council on Student Affairs, the APLU Degree Completion Award, and other Councils/Commissions and/or related projects as needed. 
• Lead administrative and logistical planning of assigned conferences, meetings, and events, including sessions at the APLU Annual Meeting as well as Council/Commission-specific summer and winter meetings. Support the development of meeting budgets and collaborate with vendors.
• Maintain accurate records within APLU’s knowledge management platforms and customer relationship management systems (CRM). Carry out communication with members through APLU’s email marketing system. 
• Draft emails and other documents as requested.
• Update webpages as necessary.
• Support coordination with APLU’s Finance staff by distributing project invoices, receiving and processing reimbursement requests from meeting attendees, and maintaining contact information. Prepare expense reports, reconciliations, and coordinate invoices/reimbursements.
• Schedule meetings, including setting up appropriate online connections, communicating meeting agendas, and preparing meeting minutes when necessary. 
• Participate as an integral member of the Office of Academic Affairs, Office of the President, and APLU teams, and contribute to an inclusive, welcoming, and collegial workplace. 
• Provide other administrative and logistical support as needed to support the goals and objectives of the Offices and APLU.

Preferred Qualifications 
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional administrative support experience. Work experience at a college/university, a higher education association, or organization involved in postsecondary educational issues and/or coursework in the areas of student affairs, is a plus.
• Experience planning and coordinating events, including workshops, webinars, and conferences.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated organizational skills. Ability to take direction from, and communicate with, multiple team members, keep track of activities and priorities on multiple projects, and meet deadlines. 
• Ability to identify potential issues and bring them to the attention of appropriate team members.
• Ability to maintain poise, professionalism, focus, consistency, and accuracy under pressure.
• Experience with Office365 is preferred, including Microsoft Teams, Planner, and SharePoint and experience managing virtual meetings, especially via Zoom.  Experience using WordPress and Adobe Cloud Press Suite, a customer relations management (CRM) system, and/or a database is a plus. A willingness and ability to learn new technologies.
• Commitment to the work of APLU. 
• Ability to travel domestically three or more times a year.

To Apply
Please send a letter of interest and resume to APLU’s Human Resources Department at resume@aplu.org with the subject line: Program Associate. Applications will be reviewed as received and continue until the position is filled, with preference given to those applications received by May 10, 2024.  Salary will be commensurate with experience. APLU provides a generous benefits package.  

APLU is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting, employing, training, compensating, and promoting staff regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.